Stranger Danger
by HAL HARV and Watson
Summary: John is caught in the middle of an explosion, literally, and the police find a stiff. After waking up in the hospital, John and Sherlock try to hunt down the third man who was there to try and get answers, but John is getting the unsettling feeling they may be in more trouble than they had realized.
1. Act I, Scene 1

_So this is the script I did for Script Frenzy in April. I know there are plot holes that I probably should have cleared up. The bold is for action and italics are for shots. It may take me a bit to reformat this, but I'll try to get it all up ASAP. Well, enjoy!  
_

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ACT ONE: AND HE SAID WHAT? 

SCENE 1: SOMEWHERE IN LONDON'S OLD INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT - NIGHT

**JOHN walks towards the camera under a streetlight. He does not look happy. We can see his shorts, so it's very warm. The background is almost all black apart from JOHN. **

JOHN: (muttering under his breath-mockingly)

"It's an experiment!" My foot, Sherlock! Mold isn't important to your work!

**He stops and kicks the light pole. He looks up and seems to see someone. **

_The camera takes JOHN's place, and we see a figure in a light coat bend double coughing in front of a dark nameless building or warehouse. _

JOHN:

Hey! You alright?

**The figure looks up at him. **

_The man is total darkness, a silhouette against a slightly blue background _

STRANGER:

I would run if I were you.

JOHN: (confused)

What?

**STRANGER straightens and points at something past JOHN. **

STRANGER:

Run! That way! Bye-bye!

**STRANGER waves at JOHN as he utters the last word. JOHN turns to run and takes two steps, when the building behind STRANGER explodes. **

_Slow motion: the bright orange light washes over the street behind stranger, and then the building actually explodes. the light floods over the camera, and everything fades white. _

FADE TO:


	2. Act I, Scene 2

SCENE 2: A BRIGHTLY LIT HOSPITAL ROOM

_THE CAMERA IS JOHN'S EYES. THE PICTURE COMES IN SLOWLY, AND BLURRED. THE AUDIO IS DISTANT AND OF POOR QUALITY. BOTH THE AUDIO AND PICTURE CLEAR UP SLOWLY, THEN SNAP TO HIGH-QUALITY AS THE CAMERA IS NO LONGER IN JOHN'S PLACE AND IS INSTEAD NEXT TO HIS BED._

**SHERLOCK paces next to the bed. LESTRADE is frowning and watching JOHN.**

LESTRADE:  
Sherlock, he's awake.

**SHERLOCK races over and grabs JOHN by the shoulders. He looks furious and also somehow relieved.**  
SHERLOCK: (almost shouting)  
About time! What were you doing?!

**JOHN smiles, hyped up on the drugs.**

JOHN:  
Have you considered mouthwash?

**SHERLOCK looks horrified and even more enraged. He turns sharply on his heel and crisply begins pacing again as if to say, "Forget you!"**

LESTRADE: (sighing)  
Sherlock, they've got him on some pretty strong stuff. He's useless like this.

**JOHN giggles as if LESTRADE said something very funny.**

SHERLOCK: (snapping)  
So you mean to tell me our ONE witness is high?

LESTRADE:  
Yeah, that's it.

**SHERLOCK gives up trying with LESTRADE. He returns to JOHN and shakes him.**

SHERLOCK: (shouting again)  
Come on, John! Think! What happened!

**JOHN blinks.**

JOHN: (shouting)  
Why you shouting? I can hear!

**LESTRADE shakes his head**

SHERLOCK: (rolling his eyes, but nonetheless softer)  
What happened?

**He shakes JOHN again**

JOHN:  
What happened where?

SHERLOCK: (angrily)  
At the explosion!

JOHN: (slurred)  
Explosion? Glad I wasn't there...

SHERLOCK:  
You were there! You're in the hospital because of it!

JOHN:  
This is the hospital? I just thought you had redecorated... I don't like it.

**SHERLOCK gives him his horrified face again.**

LESTRADE:  
Sherlock-

SHERLOCK:  
What happened? Concentrate!

**JOHN focuses against the drugs, but in vain. SHERLCOK shakes him again.**

LESTRADE:  
Sherlock! Let him rest! He'll make more sense after he gets some sleep.

SHERLOCK  
Fine.

**He turns crisply and walks out of the room.**

SHERLOCK: (calling back)  
What are you waiting for? Let's go see that body!


	3. Act I, Scene 3

SCENE 3: RUINED BUILDING/WAREHOUSE IN LONDON'S OLD INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT-NIGHT

_BUILDING IS IN RUINS, AND THE WHOLE PLACE IS WELL-LIT BY PORTABLE FLOOD LIGHTS. EVERYTHING IS ROPED OFF WITH YELLOW TAPE, AND POLICE INCLUDING THE ARSON DEPARTMENT, ARE CATALOGING EVERYTHING. THE BODY CANNOT BE SEEN_

**SHERLOCK and LESTRADE duck under the tape, and SHERLOCK pauses an instant to take it in. He continues toward the camera, supposedly where the body is.**

_NOW WE ARE BEHIND SHERLOCK AND LESTRADE AND SEE THE BODY. IT IS BURNED TO A CRISP, AND WE CAN JUST BARELY TELL IT IS A BODY. (IT MAY NOT EVEN BE HUMAN) ANDERSON AND AN ARSON INVESTIGATOR ARE EXAMINING IT._

**SHERLOCK and LESTRADE join them.**

SHERLOCK: (murmuring)  
Well, what do we have here?

**He peers at it and reaches out as if to touch it, and ANDERSON looks at him irritably**

ANDERSON:  
I'd prefer it if he makes it to the morgue intact!

SHERLOCK:  
Himm? You never told me you personify your stiffs...

ANDERSON:  
There is quite a bit I haven't told you, Sherlock!

**SHERLOCK rolls his eyes.**

SHERLOCK:  
No, but I can tell infinitely more from just looking at you. Like your problem with soda.

ANDERSON: (shouting)  
HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?!

**He springs up in a rage and looks like he's going to grab SHERLOCK.**

LESTRADE:  
Anderson!

**ANDERSON regains control and returns slowly to his stiff.**

ANDERSON: (under his breath)  
Snoop.

LESTRADE:  
What was that?

ANDERSON: (quickly)  
Nothing!

SHERLOCK: (at the arson investigator)  
What can you tell me?

**INVESTIGATOR 1 sighs.**

INVESTIGATOR 1:  
Not much. He's male, but until we can run some tests, that's all we know about him. Everything's so burned there's almost nothing.

**SHERLOCK looks at the body for a moment then stands back up. He turns to LESTRADE.**

SHERLOCK:  
Is there anything else of interest here?

LESTRADE: (shrugging)  
Well, one of the guys found some stuff.

**He walks over toward where several officers are gathered in a semi-circle around a spot on the floor where some blackened materials lie.**

LESTRADE: (to one of the investigators)  
What have you found?

INVESTIGATOR 2:  
Well, it seems to be the remains of a machine of some sort. We've been finding bits and pieces of it around, so it's very probable it was what exploded.

**He points at the several black "bits and pieces" at his feet.**

LESTRADE:  
Sherlock, what do you think?

SHERLOCK:  
We need to talk to our witness.


	4. Act I, Scene 4

Sorry it's taken so long to upload. And I know my formating keeps jumping around. Sorry!

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SCENE 4: JOHN'S HOSPITAL ROOM-NEXT DAY

**JOHN is sitting up in his bed reading, when SHERLOCK and LESTRADE burst in. JOHN looks up.**

SHERLOCK:

Feeling better?

JOHN:

Much.

**He puts his book down, and SHERLOCK doesn't waste any time.**

SHERLOCK:

What happened?

JOHN:

Well, I was taking a walk, and I saw someone. He told me to run.

_WE SEE THE SLOW-MOTION SHOT OF THE EXPLOSION AS IF JOHN IS REMINISCING._

LESTRADE:

Someone was there?

JOHN:

Yeah.

SHERLOCK:

We found him burned to a crisp inside the building.

JOHN:

What? No, he was outside.

_FOR A SECOND, WE SEE THE STILL SHOT OF STRANGER RIGHT BEFORE HE BIDS JOHN TO LEAVE._

SHERLOCK: (Sharply)

What?

JOHN:

Yeah, he was standing in front of the building.

LESTRADE:

Are you sure?

JOHN:

Yes. I know he was outside.

SHERLOCK:

So we have a third man...

LESTRADE:

Where is he? If he's alive, he'll be of more use than John.

JOHN:

Hey!

LESTRADE:

Sorry! You know what I mean! I have a body on my hands and would like to know who killed him.

_WE "FLASH BACK" BRIEFLY TO SCENE ONE, JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR STRANGER TO SAY, "I'D RUN IF I WERE YOU."_

JOHN:

The stranger must have known what was coming. He had to have.

LESTRADE:

Then why didn't he run?

SHERLOCK:

Obvious.

LESTRADE: (sighing like a man going to regret it)

What's obvious?

SHERLOCK:

Why he didn't run. He knew it wouldn't be deadly where he was standing.

_JOHN'S VOICE IS OVERLAID THE QUICK SHOT OF JOHN'S FIRST SIGHT OF STRANGER_

JOHN:

Wait. I was standing further away than him, and I had bad burns. Still do.

**He reaches to scratch his back and winces slightly.**

JOHN: (continuing)

I think he'd have nasty burns, too. He might have even needed surgery.

LESTRADE:

Then we can find him. If he somehow got to a hospital, there would be a record of it somewhere.

**He pulls out his cell and dials.**

LESTRADE: (into phone)

Donovan, I need you to do something. Pull all medical records of burn victims checked in early this morning, like one or two, especially the ones that went into surgery. I want it on my desk in an hour.

SHERLOCK:

Anything else about him, John?

JOHN:

He was American.

LESTRADE:

Well, I suggest we get you out to the scene. Being there might help.

**JOHN nods.**

JOHN:

The doctor says I'll be able to check out this afternoon.

SHERLOCK:

Good. The flat is a mess without your constant cleaning.

**JOHN sighs and rolls his eyes.**

JOHN:

What have you been doing? I've only been gone since last night!

**A thought strikes him.**

JOHN:

I better not find that severed hand on the kitchen table again!

**SHERLOCK just turns and leaves.**

_AFTER SHERLOCK IS OUT OF SIGHT, WE SEE LESTRADE NEXT TO JOHN. ZOOM IN SLOWLY_

CUT TO:


	5. Act I, Scene 5

SCENE 5: EXPLOSION SITE-DAY

_JOHN IS STANDING ON THE SIDEWALK BY THE LAMP POST FROM SCENE 1. LESTRADE AND SHERLOCK STAND ABOUT TWO FEET AWAY AS JOHN GIVES DIRECTIONS TO ONE OF LESTRADE'S UNDERLINGS, WHO IS NEAR WHERE STRANGER STOOD._

JOHN:

A little closer...

**UNDERLING takes three steps forward.**

JOHN:

Too far! Try two steps back.

**UNDERLING complies**

JOHN:

Now take two baby steps forward...

**UNDERLING does so. JOHN turns a little toward LESTRADE and SHERLOCK and points.**

JOHN:

That's around where he stood.

**LESTRADE motions, and a second underling moves to mark where UNDERLING is.**

LESTRADE:

Now let's see if he could actually survive.

**He points and beckons at MATT, who comes over.**

MATT:

Yes?

LESTRADE:

Matt, this is John Watson and Sherlock Holmes. John, Sherlock, this is Matt Lancaster. He's been investigating our explosion.

**MATT shakes hands with JOHN and SHERLOCK**

LESTRADE: (continuing)

Matt, what do you have on this?

MATT:

Not much.

**He thumbs through the file in his hands.**

JOHN: (sniffing)

I love the smell of kerosene...

MATT:

I wish that's what it is! It would make it a lot easier!

LESTRADE:

Then what was it?

MATT:

Nuclear.

**All except SHERLOCK react.**

LESTRADE:

Nuclear?

MATT:

Yeah, it's the only thing powerful enough to do this kind of damage.

JOHN:

But there's no radiation.

MATT:

I know! It's impossible, but it's nuclear or nothing. And I'm not pulling your leg.

**The others glance at each other. It is clearly going to be a long day...**


	6. Act II, Scene 1

ACT TWO: WELL, NOW WHAT?

SCENE 1: SCOTLAND YARD-LESTADE'S OFFICE-LATER

_LESTRADE IS SITTING AT HIS DESK, WHICH HAS THREE PILES OF FILES ON IT. JOHN SITS ACROSS FROM HIM, AND SHERLOCK STANDS AGAINST THE WALL AS IF DISINTERESTED_

LESTRADE:

Well, I have those medical records.

JOHN:

What do you have?

LESTRADE:

There are four that fit our criteria.

**He picks up four files from his desk and hands them over. JOHN whistles.**

SHERLOCK:

You can do better than that!

LESTRADE: (annoyed)

Can I now? Would you mind telling me how?

SHERLOCK:

We use what we know.

**He turns and goes over to peer over JOHN's shoulder as he goes through the files.**

SHERLOCK: (continuing)

We know he was male, so Number One is out.

**JOHN puts one aside**

SHERLOCK: (continuing)

We also know he wasn't burned by a kerosene flame. Matt told us that much.

**JOHN puts a second one aside.**

JOHN:

And he wasn't fat. I'd say he was under 200 pounds.

**One more file is set down, and JOHN flips through the last one.**

JOHN: (reading from file)

"William Harrison."

**SHERLOCK pulls out his phone and does some searching.**

SHERLOCK:

Professor from the University of Nottingham... Engineering and applied science... PhDs in chemistry and physics.

JOHN:

Nottingham? What was he doing here?

LESTRADE:

I don't know, but let's find out.

CUT TO:


	7. Act II, Scene 2

SCENE 2: UNI OF NOTTINGHAM-INFORMATION DESK-LATER

_ATTENDANT SITS BEHIND DESK AND SEVERAL FACULTY AND STUDENTS ARE MILLING AROUND, INCLUDING PROFESSOR K_

**JOHN walks up to desk, and ATTENDANT looks up and smiles.**

ATTENDANT:

Hello. How can I help you?

JOHN:

We're looking for Professor Harrison.

ATTENDANT: (surprised)

Oh! Well, you can try his office.

**She grabs a map and highlights one of the rooms in the Engineering Department.**

SHERLOCK:

Why are you surprised?

ATTENDANT:

Professor Harrison doesn't get many visitors. He's a little... off.

JOHN:

Off?

ATTENDANT:

He's under a psychiatrist's care, if that's any explanation. Don't tell him I told you.

SHERLOCK:

That shouldn't be a problem.

**He turns to leave, but PROFESSOR K, who has been listening in, steps forward.**

PROFESSOR K:

I'm Professor Kirkland. Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear. You're looking for Bill?

JOHN:

Yes.

PROFESSOR K:

I feel I should warn you about his... problems.

SHERLOCK:

Yes, he's under a psychiatrist's care.

PROFESSOR K:

Well, it's a little more complicated than that.

SHERLOCK:

How so?

PROFESSOR K:

Well, he's in a semi-constant state of meltdown. I don't have the foggiest how he actually manages to function. And sometimes he'll just randomly start crying at the drop of a hat. I know for a fact some nights he doesn't get a wink of sleep. Some days he'll bury himself in work; others, he slacks off in his office.

JOHN:

Is he a heavy drinker?

PROFESSOR K:

Not that I know of. Then there's the issue that I've never heard of drink doing this sort of thing. He's emotionally unstable, so you might want to keep that in mind.

JOHN:

Well, thank you.

**He turns and begins to leave with SHERLOCK.**

SHERLOCK: (calling back)

Good luck with the experiment, Kirkland!

**PROFESSOR K reacts and stares after them.**

CUT TO:


	8. Act II, Scene 3

SCENE 3: HARRISON'S OFFICE-MOMENTS LATER

_WE SEE BILLY SITTING AT HIS MESSY DESK WITH HALF-CLOSED EYES. HE LOOKS EXHUSTED. HE IS HOLDING A RED SHARPIE IN HIS HAND, AND HIS OPPOSITE SLEEVE IS PUSHED UP ALL THE WAY TO REVEAL TWO WORDS WRITTEN ON HIS FOREARM, "I BURN," IN ALL CAPS. AT THIS POINT, WE CANNOT NECESSARILY READ THEM, AND HE SLOWLY WRITES OVER THEM TO MAKE THEM DARKER AND MORE PRONOUNCED._

**There is a knock on the door, and he seems to wake up. He hurriedly drops the Sharpie into a desk drawer and pulls down his sleeve to hide the marks.**

BILLY:

Come in.

**SHERLOCK and JOHN open the door and walk in.**

SHERLOCK:

Professor, I'm Sherlock Holmes. I'm here about something that happened late last night. In London, there was an explosion in the industrial district. Would you know anything about that?

**BILLY sort of mouths the words as he runs them through his head a few times before answering.**

BILLY: (hesitantly)

Yes, I would.

JOHN:

So it was you, then, who warned me last night?

BILLY:

Were you in a black coat last night and stopped to ask a coughing man if he was alright?

JOHN: (nodding)

Yeah.

**BILLY sighs through his nose.**

BILLY:

Yes, that was me.

**He pulls on his shirt cuff nervously.**

JOHN:

Do you know what caused the explosion?

**BILLY thinks it over.**

BILLY: (hesitantly)

Yes, I do.

**SHERLOCK steps closer to BILLY.**

SHERLOCK: (abruptly)

Who was it?

BILLY:

Who was who?

SHERLOCK:

The lover who died.

**BILLY reacts-jumping up and slamming his chair back from the desk, and he is already starting to breakdown.**

BILLY: (voice weakening as he goes along)

How-? How-?

SHERLOCK: (calmly)

Simple. You are wearing long sleeves, but it is nearly 80 outside, so you're hiding something on your arms. Probably a form of self-harm, or your burns. Then there's your emotional instability. Something shattered you and drove you to self-harm. You're American, but you haven't lost your accent after the three years you've been in the UK, so you've been hiding. You emigrated, so you are not close to your family or friends. Only someone close to you dying could have caused you such pain, so it must have been a lover.

**BILLY becomes more and more shocked as SHERLOCK goes along. He tugs on his sleeve harder, and finally breaks down as SHERLOCK finishes. He sits down limply and covers his face with his hands.**

BILLY: (from around his hands)

Yes, alright, but she wasn't my lover. She was the love of my life, and it's my fault she isn't here today!

**JOHN gives SHERLOCK a severe look and pulls him aside.**

JOHN: (almost furious)

That isn't why we're here!

SHERLOCK:

But this is so much more fun!

JOHN: (incredulous)

Fun? Sherlock! Look at him!

**He gestures at BILLY.**

JOHN: (continuing)

He's a wreak! We'll be lucky if he manages to tell us anything about last night!

SHERLOCK: (after consideration)

Fine.

**He turns back to BILLY, who looks up at him with tortured eyes.**

SHERLOCK: (stiffly)

I'm sorry if my comments upset you.

BILLY: (quietly)

There's no way for you to have known.

**He traces the two words on his arm through his sleeve with his finger.**

JOHN: (mouthing the words as he watches)

"I burn..."

**BILLY suddenly seems to realize what he's doing, and he hurriedly stuffs his hands into his pockets.**

BILLY: (recovered)

Now, you said you wanted to know about the explosion?

SHERLOCK:

Yes.

BILLY:

Well, if you want the short answer, it was the result of-

**He is suddenly cut off by two things: SHERLOCK's phone going off and a knock on the door. SUDENT walks in, and SHERLOCK answers his cell when he sees it is LESTRADE.**

SHERLOCK: (into cell)

Lestrade, what do you want now?

STUDENT:

Professor, oh, sorry...

BILLY: (waving him in)

No, it's alright.

STUDENT:

Could I talk to you about yesterday's lecture? I don't know if I really understand it.

SHERLOCK: (hanging up)

John, we are needed back in London. Matt has found something very interesting.

CUT TO:


	9. Act II, Scene 4

SCENE 4: LESTRADE'S OFFICE-LATER

_LESTRADE AND MATT ARE FLIPPING THROUGH A FILE_

**SHERLOCK and JOHN enter.**

SHERLOCK: (in a good mood)

Well, Matt, what do you have?

MATT:

Something probably worth your interest.

**He hands over his file.**

MATT: (continuing)

I did some digging into the history of that building. Just three years back, it was bought by a Mister William Harrison, fresh from America. It was the first thing he did after getting his citizenship.

JOHN:

Really? Harrison?

MATT: (nodding)

Yep. From your tone, I'd say you found him, and he isn't exactly who you would peg for buying one of the city's oldest buildings.

JOHN: (laughing)

No, not exactly.

SHERLOCK: (murmuring to himself)

Why would he buy it?

MATT:

Beats me, bud. The guy who managed the sale actually asked him what he was planning for the building. Harrison answered-

SHERLOCK: (reading from file)

"It'll be the warehouse for my experiments, so the gods can forgive me for them."

MATT:

Yeah. And if that wasn't weird enough, he went on to pull the whole place up to code. Spent who knows how much making so it could pass inspection. He turned in plans for it for the inspection, and he detailed several upper-floor rooms. There's a possibility it's where's he's been living.

JOHN:

Actually, he's probably been living in his office at the university.

LESTRADE:

So he goes to all this work to isolate himself, but why?

JOHN:

The girl.

LESTRADE:

Sorry, girl? I missed the memo.

JOHN:

When we talked to him, Sherlock deduced he was driven to near insanity by the death of a lover, and he replied he had loved her, but she wasn't his girlfriend. He also said something about how he caused her death.

LESTRADE:

So, this guy thinks he killed her?

JOHN:

Yeah, and he really believes it, too! From what I can tell, it's what's been driving him.

**LESTRADE raises an eyebrow.**

JOHN: (continuing)

He probably wants to keep something like it from happening again in his new life.

LESTRADE:

So, back to the explosion itself, do you have any idea what could have caused it, Matt?

MATT:

I'm still leaning toward nuclear incident, but we're already getting weird results from the lab.

SHERLOCK:

Such as?

MATT:

Such as the ash we found-it has traces of crystalline caffeine in it.

LESTRADE:

Crystalline caffeine?

MATT:

Yeah, and that's not all. We've also found traces of highly pure copper, iron, and hydrogen.

JOHN:

Particle accelerator.

LESTRADE:

Sorry?

JOHN:

I read something a while back. CERN uses powerful electromagnets to control beams of charged particles, usually formed by using light elements like hydrogen and helium.

SHERLOCK:

Was that around when you spent so much time at the library to avoid me?

**JOHN looks at him.**

JOHN:

It was your fault that liver ended up in the pickle jar!

SHERLOCK:

Please. I didn't put it in there.

JOHN:

No, but-

LESTRADE: (interrupting)

Now is not the time! We'll have to go talk to Harrison again tomorrow, and you two can kindly do it yourselves!

**He shoves them out of the office, and he closes his eyes as he counts backwards from thirty as a commotion involving SHERLOCK and an officer takes place just outside the door.**

MATT:

How do you stand him?

LESTRADE:

I concentrate on something else. And drink. That has always helped.

CUT TO:


	10. Act II, Scene 5

SCENE 5: 221 B BAKER STREET-SITTING ROOM-NEXT DAY-MORNING

_JOHN SITS AT HIS LAPTOP TYPING. HIS INTERNAL DIALOG IS OVERLAIED THE VIDEO._

JOHN: (internally)

6th of March, 2012. Last night I had the strangest dream, and it really terrified me. I wasn't anywhere, and I got the feeling I wasn't in my body. And this wasn't the first time this has happened since I woke up in the hospital and wasn't high. I've been getting the feeling my mind has been almost floating around just outside my head and looking down on all of this. What really happened at that explosion? I don't really know, but I need to. I have the oddest feeling my sanity and even survival depends on it.

**He pauses then continues.**

JOHN: (continuing-internally)

It's the kind of feeling I've learned to trust, and I am scared to death I may not be able to save myself this time. I haven't told Sherlock; can you imagine how he would react? He'd call me crazy and blame it on what happened. I've also been considering talking to Lestrade, but I don't imagine he'd totally understand, if at all. He might call me crazy too. But I don't think I've lost my mind. I can't explain it, but sometimes it's like there's someone else in my head, someone broken. I'll have to see if I can figure this out on my own.

**He looks up as he stops typing and stares out the window. After a few moments, SHERLOCK storms down the stairs in his coat.**

SHERLOCK:

Come on, John! We have to talk to Harrison before this goes cold!

JOHN:

Chipper, aren't you?

SHERLOCK:

We have a body, an explosion, and a man who isn't in the proper emotional state to pull it all of! How much better can this get?!

JOHN:

So you really think Harrison didn't do it?

SHERLOCK:

Did you see the man? He couldn't put anyone in danger! It's someone else, even though he knew what was going to happen! There's something else going on!

JOHN: (under his breath)

You can say that again.

SHERLOCK:

What was that?

JOHN: (quickly)

Nothing.

SHERLOCK: (doubtfully)

Right. Are you coming?

JOHN:

Yes.

**He logs off, stands and grabs his coat, and he follows SHERLOCK out of the room...**

CUT TO:


	11. Act II, Scene 6

SCENE 6: HARRISON'S OFFICE-LATER

_THE ROOM IS EMPTY, AND WE CAN SEE A BOOK LABELED "RESEARCH NOTES" ON THE DESK_

**SHERLOCK and JOHN enter.**

JOHN:  
Why do you insist on breaking and entering so often?

SHERLOCK:  
It makes it much easier to find wanted information.

**He moves over to the desk and instantly picks up the book to flip through it. JOHN sighs and moves over to the side, determined not to get involved, but he accidentally bumps the filing cabinet and knocks off many papers and a tape recorder. He picks it up.**

JOHN:  
Sherlock, look.

**SHERLOCK comes over, and JOHN rewinds the tape.**

SHERLOCK:  
Well, aren't we retro?

**JOHN hits play.**

BILLY (on recording):  
March 6, 2012. Yesterday, two men came to see me about the explosion of the lab. One of them knew about my Releases and Her. You can imagine how I reacted. I was really lucky I had seen Dr. Regal a few hours before. If I hadn't, it would not have been pretty. And it didn't help I had lost my home a few days before, so I didn't have the two hour commute to look forward to. For some odd reason, I find traveling the "tube" and people-watching strangely relaxing. I wound up spending last night sleeping in my office, and I woke up with this kink in my neck... Moist was here yesterday. He still doesn't get that my Releases help me get through the day. They are the only way I feel anything besides the numbness that prevails. There is nothing outside that registers on an emotional level anymore, and I cannot even put this lack into words. All I can say is "I burn" and continue to stain my skin with the Sharpie. And sometimes even that is inadequate, so I prick my fingers and purposely stub my toes. Physical pain feels so good when all you know is emotional pain. I digress... Last night I had this odd dream. I saw Her, and she reached out for me. She traced out the words on my arm. "Why do you do this to yourself?" she whispered. I replied, "Because I can't forgive myself." "You should," she told me. Before I could really comprehend what she had said, she melted into the black, and then I saw that man from yesterday, the one who was there at the explosion. I don't know what he was saying, but it wasn't good. I have the strangest feeling it will be important later when I have to face my demons. What really terrifies me is that might be sooner than I think... I should get going. I have a lecture in less than an hour.

**The recorder clicks off, and the door opens. BILLY walks in, sees the recorder in JOHN's hand, and goes as white as a sheet. Then he seems to sort of solidify and takes two steps into the room.**

BILLY (nearly angry):  
What are you doing here?

JOHN:  
Um... Would you believe me if I said this isn't what this looks like?

BILLY:  
No!

JOHN (struggling for a plausible story):  
Well... We want to help you...?

BILLY (snorting):  
Right! Because you were so concerned yesterday!

SHERLOCK:  
Professor, I believe an explanation is much overdue.

BILLY (sarcastically):  
You think?

SHERLOCK:  
Sit down.

**BILLY warily moves over to his desk and sits down.**

BILLY:  
Well?

**JOHN and SHERLOCK move to stand across from him, and JOHN sets the tape recorder down in front of BILLY**

SHERLOCK:  
Where should we start?

BILLY:  
How about why you decided you just had to break into my office?

SHERLOCK:  
I was under the impression you would not be very forthcoming with information, but I have a dead man from your warehouse.

JOHN:  
And you're mixed up in it somehow.

**BILLY sighs and rubs his forehead.**

BILLY (murmuring):  
I knew I shouldn't have left the door open...

JOHN (sharply):  
What?

BILLY (sighing):  
I left that day and accidentally left the door unlocked. I meant to go back and lock it, but I didn't. A hobo or squatter probably got in and hid when I got back. When the place went up, he got burnt.

**His own words seem to remind him of the words on his arm, and he subconsciously traces them out on with his finger. He realizes what they mean to him, and he somewhat loses his self-control as his tormented emotions take over.**

BILLY (trying to maintain control):  
Listen, I-I know you want to explain it, and I have a lot to tell you, but could we pick this back up later? My colleague Dr. Harwell is giving an excellent lecture in half an hour. You could go see it while I try to... pull myself together.

**He almost sobs out the last few words and puts his head down his desk.**

JOHN:  
Sure. No problem.

**He gives SHERLOCK a look and walks over to the door. When he sees SHERLOCK didn't follow, he grabs him by the coat collar and drags him out before closing the door. BILLY doesn't look up at the sound, but then the door opens again. He raises his head an inch to see MOIST then lowers it again.**

MOIST:  
Hey. How've you been?

**He drags a chair over to sit next to BILLY.**

BILLY (into desk):  
What do you think?

**He raises his head back up with great effort and somehow pulls himself off the desk to look at MOIST.**

BILLY:  
How did you find the time to come up here?

MOIST (smiling):  
The kids haven't forgotten when you filled in for me after the yeti incident. They loved you!

BILLY:  
Well, that makes 19.

MOIST:  
Hey, that's 18 more than you had when we emigrated! There was only one then!

**BILLY shrugs like it takes most of his energy.**

MOIST:  
I'm actually here to see if anyone's been harassing you about the explosion.

BILLY:  
Two guys were just in here, and they came yesterday, too.

**He picks at his nails.**

MOIST:  
And?

BILLY:  
They have no idea.

MOIST:  
And you?

BILLY:  
I have no idea either.

**He looks down and continues picking at his nails. MOIST sighs-some days it's like pulling teeth, with no anesthesia.**

MOIST (standing):  
Hey, listen, I need to get going if I'm going to make the tube.

**He walks over to the door and pauses after he opens it.**

MOIST (turning back):  
If you ever want to talk, I'm here.

**BILLY nods, and MOIST takes a step out the door.**

BILLY (calling):  
Moist?

**MOIST turns back.**

BILLY:  
Thanks.

MOIST:  
No problem.

CUT TO:


End file.
